Even though work has been quite draining lately, I am thankful that I not only have a job, but one that I do enjoy most of the time, with a schedule that fits my body clock, and interesting colleagues to share in the journey.
I'm thankful for my wonderful new house, despite the occasional twinge of panic when I realize that I'm actually a homeowner.
I'm thankful for my fantastic car which acts up in mild ways every now and then just to remind me of all the grief I don't have to deal with because she is so fantastic.
I'm thankful for friends who put up with me and put me up.
I'm thankful for the way that things which could go terribly wrong and be incredibly inconvenient somehow always work out rather well.
I truly am blessed and although I certainly don't know why and don't think I deserve it, I am thankful to be so - today and always. I hope you and yours have much to be thankful for as well.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Semester from Hell
Although it seems like I say this every semester, this one is particularly gruesome. We still have three librarian vacancies (share the workloads!) and our director has been on sick leave and limited duty since July (more workload!) and we had to let a staff member go, so the librarians are now doing interlibrary loans for our subject liaison areas - and because of the librarian vacancies I now cover 10 subjects* and since most are big subjects (astronomy, biology, history, marine science, physics) with lots of loan requests, I say yet again - added workload!
This leaves me with near-nil energy for anything else - I haven't even figured out the subject of my 10-page paper due Dec. 8 - so I finally gave up on painting and started positioning bookcases and emptying boxes of books onto shelves, but even this pleasant task doesn't claim my attention that often. I did completely re-think the bedroom and if I can ever figure out what's wrong with my camera, I'll post pictures - I really like the new arrangement.
So if you've sent me an email and I haven't answered, I'm sorry. I'm just very blah right now - nothing major and this too shall pass, but for now: blah...
* I don't imagine anybody actually counted, but if you did and came up one short, it's because I'm co-liaison for English.
This leaves me with near-nil energy for anything else - I haven't even figured out the subject of my 10-page paper due Dec. 8 - so I finally gave up on painting and started positioning bookcases and emptying boxes of books onto shelves, but even this pleasant task doesn't claim my attention that often. I did completely re-think the bedroom and if I can ever figure out what's wrong with my camera, I'll post pictures - I really like the new arrangement.
So if you've sent me an email and I haven't answered, I'm sorry. I'm just very blah right now - nothing major and this too shall pass, but for now: blah...
* I don't imagine anybody actually counted, but if you did and came up one short, it's because I'm co-liaison for English.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Saturday, September 05, 2009
New Mailing Address
I was finally able to get a PO box. I sent an email, but if I inadvertently missed you in the mass of addresses, drop me a comment or an email and I'll get it out to you.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Congratulations, Lori!
My friend Miss Lori is smart, talented, fun... Ya know, all-around fantastic. She makes ceramics and jewelry and takes excellent photographs (whew!) and now she has co-authored a book! And her book is about cats! Does it get any better? I don't think so, friends.
I've already put it on my Amazon.com wishlist and I think you should, too. I wonder what my chances are of getting my copy autographed?
I've already put it on my Amazon.com wishlist and I think you should, too. I wonder what my chances are of getting my copy autographed?
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Shifting Boxes
Quiz Time:
When searching for one specific box in ~8 rows of ~70+ boxes, the desired box will be found:
a. in the first or second row.
b. smack-dab in the middle.
c. in the very last row, which ironically would have been the first row had the search begun at the other end of the room.
If you chose a: I want to live in your world.
If you chose b: nice sense of humor.
If you chose c: welcome to my heavy, sweaty world.
Toward the end I began to fear that I had shifted a box I had forgotten to open and would have to shift them all back again. But the time was well spent - I was able to organize the boxes more and I did actually find the box I wanted.
Believe it or not, they don't all contain books. Just most of them.
Now if I could get some painting done, I could start unpacking the books. But I can't bring myself to load up the bookshelves just to turn around and take the books off to get at the walls to paint.
{sigh}
When searching for one specific box in ~8 rows of ~70+ boxes, the desired box will be found:
a. in the first or second row.
b. smack-dab in the middle.
c. in the very last row, which ironically would have been the first row had the search begun at the other end of the room.
If you chose a: I want to live in your world.
If you chose b: nice sense of humor.
If you chose c: welcome to my heavy, sweaty world.
Toward the end I began to fear that I had shifted a box I had forgotten to open and would have to shift them all back again. But the time was well spent - I was able to organize the boxes more and I did actually find the box I wanted.
Believe it or not, they don't all contain books. Just most of them.
Now if I could get some painting done, I could start unpacking the books. But I can't bring myself to load up the bookshelves just to turn around and take the books off to get at the walls to paint.
{sigh}
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
New Home Photos
As requested, pictures of the New Home are now available. Thanks to everyone for being so excited for me!
Obviously, I'm still unpacking - I'll post updates as I get things in place. Believe it or not, I haven't figured out where all the bookcases are going...
Obviously, I'm still unpacking - I'll post updates as I get things in place. Believe it or not, I haven't figured out where all the bookcases are going...
Friday, July 17, 2009
Moved!
Well, mostly...
I'm excited, frazzled, nervous, and tired.
I've taken vacation to finish moving the odds 'n' ends and start settling in at the new place. I will take pictures (promise!) and post them when I return to Internet access on July 27.
I'm excited, frazzled, nervous, and tired.
I've taken vacation to finish moving the odds 'n' ends and start settling in at the new place. I will take pictures (promise!) and post them when I return to Internet access on July 27.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Time Flies
I know that time seems to pass more quickly the older you get, but I still find an interval of only 11 weeks between my 40th birthday and today's "Senior Citizen Offer" from Sunset Publishing a bit rushed...
Monday, June 29, 2009
Letter of the Day: C
When I was an undergraduate, I worked for a private investigation firm doing filing, data entry, document delivery, etc. One of my tasks - fortunately not too often - was to take a box of manila file folders and write
OPENED:
CLOSED:
on the tab so all the investigators had to do was write the date. After 30 or 40 folders, the words started to look wrong; they stopped looking like words and I would have to take a break. I knew I was still spelling them correctly, but only because I could compare them to the first one I had written.
Okay, maybe it's just me...
Anyway, I don't have that problem today. Today the word CLOSED looks just fine. Because I just CLOSED the deal on my house. Coincidentally, by signing my name so many times that it failed to look like my name.
But the bank guy seemed fine with my scribbles, so maybe it's just me...
It's not officially official and finalized until it gets filed or some such, but it's really happening.
I'm a homeowner! Go me!
Added later: I do promise pictures as soon as I can officially get in to the house - the only pix I have now show the previous owner's furniture. I'll post when it's empty and then when I get all my stuff settled in.
OPENED:
CLOSED:
on the tab so all the investigators had to do was write the date. After 30 or 40 folders, the words started to look wrong; they stopped looking like words and I would have to take a break. I knew I was still spelling them correctly, but only because I could compare them to the first one I had written.
Okay, maybe it's just me...
Anyway, I don't have that problem today. Today the word CLOSED looks just fine. Because I just CLOSED the deal on my house. Coincidentally, by signing my name so many times that it failed to look like my name.
But the bank guy seemed fine with my scribbles, so maybe it's just me...
It's not officially official and finalized until it gets filed or some such, but it's really happening.
I'm a homeowner! Go me!
Added later: I do promise pictures as soon as I can officially get in to the house - the only pix I have now show the previous owner's furniture. I'll post when it's empty and then when I get all my stuff settled in.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Music Notes, Part Two
Toby Keith just keeps getting better and better. Every album since Shock'n Y'All (2003) I've said "This is my favorite. This is his best album." Until the next one is released. Each album has a greater number of songs that go on my I-could-listen-to-this-song-every-single-day list. Now I know that artists are supposed to improve their craft but for every album to surpass the last is extraordinary. It seems more likely that there would be at least one album that I would say "whatever" about - which has happened with both Kenny Chesney and Dierks Bentley.
Contrasting all that TK fantastic-ness are two of the worst albums I've ever heard, Zac Brown Band's Foundation and Darius Rucker's Learn to Live. I liked both first singles, Chicken Fried and Don't Think I Don't Think About It (respectively); however, neither album is worth listening to even once. A friend loaned these to me, and she's even more disappointed in them than I am, 'cause she paid money for them!
Contrasting all that TK fantastic-ness are two of the worst albums I've ever heard, Zac Brown Band's Foundation and Darius Rucker's Learn to Live. I liked both first singles, Chicken Fried and Don't Think I Don't Think About It (respectively); however, neither album is worth listening to even once. A friend loaned these to me, and she's even more disappointed in them than I am, 'cause she paid money for them!
Monday, June 22, 2009
"News" Dumbness
Remember, I don't have access to network or cable, so everything I know about Jon and Kate comes from the teeny snippets I see on news websites and blogs:
Updated June 23: Why, yes, I do fairly well predicting fiction. I often know what the next line is going to be - it comes from watching, reading, and writing too much...
In other "news": Scalzi reports that people are dissing President Obama because he isn't having to deal with the same staggering issues as Presidents Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Truman. Seriously, people? You may want to live in interesting times, but I'll settle for peace and tranquility, thanks.
- they have eight children
- they have a reality TV show
- they are talking about getting a divorce
Updated June 23: Why, yes, I do fairly well predicting fiction. I often know what the next line is going to be - it comes from watching, reading, and writing too much...
In other "news": Scalzi reports that people are dissing President Obama because he isn't having to deal with the same staggering issues as Presidents Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Truman. Seriously, people? You may want to live in interesting times, but I'll settle for peace and tranquility, thanks.
Monday, June 15, 2009
My Profession
Do you support your local library? It's there for you...
Today Show: Libraries Lend a Hand in Tough Times (4-minute video clip)
Today Show: Libraries Lend a Hand in Tough Times (4-minute video clip)
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Monday, June 01, 2009
Curiosity
Out of the mouths of babes...
The next Mars rover has been named Curiosity.
In hindsight, it's blindingly obvious. Way to go, Clara!
The next Mars rover has been named Curiosity.
In hindsight, it's blindingly obvious. Way to go, Clara!
Beliefs
The Babylon 5 episode, "Parliament of Dreams" is about showcasing different alien culture's belief systems and ends with a display of "Earth's dominant belief system." Unlike all the other ceremonies which feature stories, chants, drums, and bells, the Earth celebration introduces, one by one, a loooooong line of at least 40 people, each representing a different belief system:
Atheist (I love that this is first!)
Roman Catholic
Zen Buddhist
Moslem / Muslim
Orthodox Jew
Sioux Indian
Greek Orthodox
Yupik Eskimo
Jivaro
Bantu
Taoist
Aborgini
Shinto
Maori
Hindu
Quaker
Not all are named, and of the ones that were only shown I, sadly, recognized only a few.
I leave it to the reader to take away the appropriate lesson.
Atheist (I love that this is first!)
Roman Catholic
Zen Buddhist
Moslem / Muslim
Orthodox Jew
Sioux Indian
Greek Orthodox
Yupik Eskimo
Jivaro
Bantu
Taoist
Aborgini
Shinto
Maori
Hindu
Quaker
Not all are named, and of the ones that were only shown I, sadly, recognized only a few.
I leave it to the reader to take away the appropriate lesson.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Grow, Grow, Grow!
The "Less Hair" experiment is over. My shorter 'do was wonderful for ease of care, but every now and then I would catch sight of myself in the mirror and wonder, "How long has that piece been sticking up like that?" I tried a couple different lengths of short, but none of them really worked. I don't know if it's vanity or a need to be in control - or both - but I've changed my mind (love that prerogative!) and decided to grow it out just long enough to pull back into a ponytail. For now I'm keeping the bangs, although they've been their own problem in the past - we'll see...
Unfortunately, growing out short hair is a long process. Right now it's long enough to be in the way, but too short to keep out of the way. Argh!
Unfortunately, growing out short hair is a long process. Right now it's long enough to be in the way, but too short to keep out of the way. Argh!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Welcome Alexa!
Alexa (short for Alexandria) arrived on Tuesday. This delayed announcement is courtesy of Will and Henry and the paper due today that, despite weeks of work, refused to properly coalesce until around 3 a.m. {sigh}
Anyway, I have stolen a few moments to become acquainted with my new companion and she's just as wonderful as I anticipated. I already have 17 titles downloaded - 9 of which cost me absolutely nothing - and have begun reading this month's first new release. This weekend I plan on finishing it and moving on to the second. And then maybe to a third title.... Basically, I'm going to read a lot, but not anything from or about the 14th, 15th, or 16th centuries.
Anyway, I have stolen a few moments to become acquainted with my new companion and she's just as wonderful as I anticipated. I already have 17 titles downloaded - 9 of which cost me absolutely nothing - and have begun reading this month's first new release. This weekend I plan on finishing it and moving on to the second. And then maybe to a third title.... Basically, I'm going to read a lot, but not anything from or about the 14th, 15th, or 16th centuries.
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